


Kin-nii's Band Has Zero Popularity

by Love_Psycho



Series: Inheritance of Cards and Demons [10]
Category: Ao no Exorcist | Blue Exorcist
Genre: And Rin Is Oblivious, Gen, Humour, In Which Renzo Somehow Gets More Dense, Kinzo thinks it worked though, M/M, Side Story to IoD
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-25
Updated: 2016-08-25
Packaged: 2018-08-10 21:28:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,840
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7861726
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Love_Psycho/pseuds/Love_Psycho
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Kinzo is a - if you ask him - wonderful big brother. Which is why he is confident his plan to help his baby brother Renzo out with his crush is going to work.</p>
<p>Renzo, meanwhile, wonders if Kinzo is high. And Rin is oblivious.</p>
<p>Takes place between ch15 and ch16 of IoD. Based on the titular bonus chapter from the manga.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Kin-nii's Band Has Zero Popularity

**Author's Note:**

> Yet another bonus side story! This is the last one that is going to pop up for awhile - no more side stories for awhile. It just worked out that the Kyoto arc gets blessed with two.
> 
> Then again, both are pulled from canon material.
> 
> I hope you enjoy.

The heat has risen, despite the day passing by. Hot heat pours down on the city, turning into a dreadful haze that invites exhaustion.

Renzō is one such person currently being tormented by the heat. Even more so, he's tormented by the fact he was recruited to help clean up the Ryokan. He didn't dare say no; not to Torako herself. Only Ryūji and Tatsuma dare invite her wrath.

_'Probably because they are the only ones able to survive...'_ Renzō moans internally. As he continues to wipe the floor, a litany of complaints start to fall from his lips.

“Tomorrow we return to Tōkyō...aaaaah...and yet I'm being worked to the bone...” Renzō whines. “All I've been doing is wiping my own sweat.”

The sound of a door opening has Renzō turning, seeing Rin poke his head out. He glances around, then grins when he notices Renzō. “Oh hey! There you are! Just warning you that supper will be late okay? Still got many people to feed so it's taking longer than we thought to make it all up. Especially with the heat...”

“That's fine.” Renzō gives a soft smile at him, sitting up and wiping some of the sweat from his brow. “Please tell me it's something nice for the heat.”

Rin shakes his head. “What are you talking about? Of course it's for the heat!” Rin waves one last time, then shuts the door as he leaves.

Renzō droops once he does. “Crap. Aaah...I really hate the heat...”

“You really like that guy don't ya.” Kinzō says, poking Renzō in the cheek.

“I haven't turned yet!” Renzō yells at him, slapping his hand away. “That's the rule, the one who turns gets hit by the finger! You never follow the rules!”

“It can't be helped. It's a habit of brats who are entering puberty.” Kinzō muses, otherwise ignoring Renzō.

“Listen to me!” Renzō then pauses, blinks. “What the hell are you going on about?”

“Here are some tickets to my band's concert. It's at 7:30 tonight.” Kinzō waves some tickets in Renzō's face. “Why don't you go ask yer _best friend_ there? Should be fun. And you can't say yer Aniki didn't do anything for you!”

“What the hell...” Renzō takes the tickets anyways, eyeing Kinzō suspiciously. “You high or somethin'? If you are, I'm gonna tell Ma.”

“I'm not high!” Kinzō shrieks. “It only happened once or twice anyways.”

_'So you have tried drugs...'_ Renzō sweats a bit nervously at that, embarrassed for his brother's sake.

“You should be more passionate! Seize the chance!” Kinzō declares, pointing at Renzō and standing up with an intense expression on his face. “If you move now, you can catch up to him no problem! If you want that, you gotta push yourself for it! Burn up with your passion!”

“Wuah?” Renzō blinks a few times up at Kinzō. “Passionate isn't my style...and what does this have to do with Okumura-kun?”

“Idiot.” Kinzō says, a rare serious expression forming on his face. “Guys who can't be passionate won't be able to touch others feelings.”

Renzō is taken aback by that, wondering again what Kinzō is trying to imply here. Normally he's all subtle like a brick, but for some reason he's way too obscure today.

Kinzō leaves at that point, a goofy grin back on his face as he waves Renzō's money he pickpocketed from him. Renzō can only gape at him, before turning back to look at the tickets in his hand.

“Aaaah...” Renzō ruffles his hair at the back. “I give up.” He stands up and quickly heads to the door he last saw Rin at, sliding it open with a squeak and slipping inside. Rin should still be at the kitchen if Renzō doesn't catch up to him before then.

* * *

Rin turns at the sound of Renzō's voice, blinking in surprise. He's carrying a basket of laundry, since he was asked to take a load out to be hanged up in the hot air to dry. “Renzō? Dude, you okay? You are really sweating.”

Renzō shakes his head, sending out droplets of sweat, panting as he finally stops moving and stands straight up. “Um...Okumura-kun--

Setting the large basket on his hip, Rin leans up and presses his forehead to Renzō's once he stops. “You do feel rather overheated. You probably should lie down. I could get you some ice.”

“No no! Um...” Renzō looks at the sweat stained tickets and holds them out at Rin. “Uh...Kin-nii has a band and he...gave...me two of the tickets. Do you want to go see it? It's tonight.”

“A band!” Rin sparkles. “I haven't been to a concert in...” Rin's smile wavers as he recalls what happened at the last concert he went to. “W-well...long time.”

“Uh...so you are interested?” Renzō feels a wide grin spread his cross his face, somehow feeling it grow even bigger as Rin eagerly nods. “Take this then,” Renzō hands over one of the tickets, “we'll meet up at the...bar?” Renzō tilts his head, annoyed at bit by the somewhat obscure location. “Well, I'll ask Kin-nii if I have to. So yeah, meet up outside a little before.”

Rin beams. “It's a date!” He whirls around after that, humming a cheerful tune under his breath. _'Wonder what kind of band...visual kei?'_

Renzō flushes, and not from the heat, at Rin's words. “No...wait...no way it's a date...” Renzō laughs awkwardly, stuffing the remaining ticket in his pocket. “Right...just...Okumura-kun being...Okumura-kun...nothing...nothing to it.”

He still somehow manages to stumble on thin air before he finally wrangles his brain back into working properly.

* * *

As the time approaches for the...the... _get_ - _together_ with Rin, Renzō finds himself staring at what clothes he brought with him, spread out over the temporary room of his at the Ryokan. Last night at the least he got his own room, something all the other exwires were given. Most of the other exorcists were already leaving – slowly but surely – at that time, or still in the big rooms being cared for as the last of the toxins were flushed from their systems and if they had injuries they had to attend to.

“I don't have anything to wear.” Renzō bemoans. Then he smacks himself in the face. “Gah, what are you doing? Sure Okumura-kun's cute, but damn! This isn't a date! Get it together!” Smacking his two cheeks, he focuses once again on the clothing before him.

And lets out a soft whine as he finds himself unable to choose, with the clock ticking. “Aaaah...screw it!” He grabs some random clothing and starts changing into them. They aren't horrible choices at the least.

And, it's definitely not a date.

No way it's a date.

* * *

“H-hey Okumura-kun!” Renzō greets cheerfully, tugging at his collar as he approaches Rin. “You looking forward to it?”

“Yes!” Rin cheers, practically bouncing on his face. Renzō smiles at Rin's glee and opens the door so Rin can go before him. Following after him quickly, Renzō stops, stunned at what he sees.

“What...the...why is everyone here?” Renzō asks, staring at the other exwires and even a stiff Yukio in shock.

“Oh, so you guys finally arrived.” Ryūji says casually.

_'What the...is this some kind of weird punchline?'_ Renzō mentally wails, as Rin approaches Shiemi cheerfully and starts talking to her about what to expect from a live concert.

“Kinzō's shamisen is well known to the people in the same field!” Jūzō says cheerfully, alerting Renzō to the fact his family is here as well. In fact, this place is surprisingly crowded, by other exorcists of the Kyōto branch and even some punks, all who are strangely praising Kinzō.

“Well...it can't be that bad...then...” Renzō murmurs, finally getting a spot beside Rin, who beams at him and excitedly asks what Renzō knows of Kinzō's band, an awkward question if there ever was one.

Luckily he doesn't have to answer as at that point the live concert begins.

* * *

It's a hardcore metal band. A screamo one. With Kinzō looking like he might rip his throat out and break his shamisen.

Renzō has never been more horrified or embarrassed about his family in his life.

As everyone else around him cheers and the so-called “music” drills into his ears, Renzō plugs his ears with his fingers. _'Kin-nii! Where does he get his jokes anyways? I don't get it...'_

Suddenly worried for Rin – this is so loud, don't demons have stronger senses? – Renzō turns to him. “Okumura-kun...”

Renzō's voice fails him, as he sees that Rin is grinning and sparkling. “This is awesome! Thanks for taking me here!” He glances over at Renzō and grins, before turning back to the stage.

Renzō stares at him for a moment longer, then he can't take it anymore. Taking advantage of the fact no one is watching, he slips out of the building and settles on the curb before it.

“Aaaah!!! It hurts!!!” He screams out into the night, before settling down and staring at his feet. “I...really hate the heat...” Renzō leans forward and supports his head in his hands, dimly hearing the loud “music” drift from inside.

“Renzō?” Renzō jolts, twisting his body around to see Rin leaving the concert building, looking concernedly at Renzō. “Are you okay?”

“Aaah...I...” Renzō looks away from Rin, not looking up even as he sits down next to him.

“You didn't look like you were enjoying it so when I noticed you were gone, I figured you be here.” Rin says. “If you didn't like it, you didn't have to force yourself to come.”

Renzō whips his head up to stare at Rin, meeting sincere blue eyes. “I...no...I...didn't know what kind of...ugh... _music_ Kin-nii does...he just kinda tossed the tickets at me and well...” Renzō shrugs. “Figured it wouldn't be wasted on you...”

Rin smiles. “Thanks. So, what music do you like?”

“Well...not that but I do like most current music...Western music is cool too.” Renzō admits.

Rin perks up at those words. “You like that music?! Me too!”

Renzō laughs. “Awesome. So what else...?”

Slowly, Renzō relaxes and smiles so much his cheeks start to hurt. He doesn't notice the time going by, just watches Rin's bright aura and happy smile, the gestures he makes, as they past the rest of the time happily chatting about things.

When Rin's stomach growls, Renzō laughs. “Hey, I know where we can get some food...nothing fancy but it's definitely open at this time.”

Rin scratches the back of his neck. “Really? Then sure!”

Renzō happily leads Rin to the nearby late-night gyudon place he knows of. He doesn't notice just how much like a date this entire set up feels.

Neither does he notice that Kinzō, taking a break from his band during an intermission, watching him and Rin with a wide grin on his face.

_'Mission accomplished!'_

**Author's Note:**

> Thoughts, feelings, feedback? Hit me with comments below!


End file.
